This was the only time they played in Montana. In fact the only other time they played in this region was Spokane '80 - 200mi away. This used to be a hidden gem, ignored for the shows after, in Vancouver & Portland. Dave's Picks 9 changed that, and now many know the overall show is possibly the best of the tour. Keith alternates between piano and Rhodes throughout the sets. I think this was the first tour where he brought a Roland SH-1000, but I don't hear him using it (on any of the dates, actually). Students & locals got the only Dark Star of the tour, the best Jed, the best WRS, long jams, an amazing Scarlet into Roses, etc. It does falls off just a bit in the last quarter. After some local redneck or fratboy pegged Bobby's head with a pitcher, they played one song and left Montana, never to return.

First Set. The mix hasn't settled at first - nor the playing. That's already forgotten by Me & My Uncle, where Jer's additions are freewheelin' and fascinating. The next couple are average '74, then comes the 2nd-ever Scarlet Begonias and first great one. It quickly evolved away from this arrangement. Must Have Been Roses is the 5th-ever, but also the first good one - perhaps even the best of its original arrangement (but no solos yet). At this point they can do no wrong; particularly the Tennessee Jed and the Deal. The end of Big River is astonishing. Listen to Bobby, Phil and Keith all boosting Jer. After a solid Brown-Eyed Women, Playin' has some good parts, some lost, some Donnaskreech™.

Second Set. U.S. Blues is the 5th-ever. Maybe not the most raucous, but smooth as poolside grease (Hey man, I blew my whistle and told you kids not to run...). The Row Jimmy has an average pace but is likewise a perfected version. Keith switches to Rhodes here, then back to piano during Weather Report Suite. This gets better and better, with the final LiG jam getting very jazz hands, until it cracks the door that lets Dark Star into the room, dragging its alternate universe behind like a geometrically-progressing cape. It's loose enough in form to not visit the usual touchstones of a '74, and not all of it is engaging [some is exhausting], but the Thurston/Ranaldo freak out from 18min>21min is cool. The unadorned approach goes too far on China Doll, which is too dry. It has a reel flip, missing ~17secs. The official release spans this with a 26sec patch from 11/9/73 (@0:57). The rest is average '74.

1st Set:  B
2nd Set: B-
Overall = 3¾ stars

Highlights:
Me & My Uncle - freewheelin' adds
Scarlet Begonias - first great one, into glossy Roses
Tennessee Jed - fireworks
Deal - piquant
Big River - Bobby, Phil, Keith boost Jer
U.S. Blues - grease-smooth
Row Jimmy - Jer maximizes song-based version

SOURCES: The miller_114462 is the SBD upgrade, with improved pitch (still a tad fast from WRS > Promised Land). Complete show (except for the reel flip in China Doll) is on DaP9.

This is one of the best Deal solos I have heard. Jerry really put his heart and soul into it. This whole concert is just amazing.

WEATHER REPORT SUITE!

This show is smokin right from the start.Phil is on, and Jerry is in his zone.the set list is gr8 and every song sounds tight.highly recommend.

While this show has good vibes, I think of '74 as a step down from '73 as far as intensity goes.

For sure one of my favorite shows from this time period.

First 25 seconds, and for that matter the whole song, of Scarlett Begonias is pure heaven.

Wasn't lucky enough to scoop up a copy when it came out on Dave's picks 9, grateful its here on Archive to enjoy.

Thanks!

One of the best shows ever.

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not going to disagree with your review, but i read an article in a local paper about this show, and it said the grateful dead got one of the loudest cheers ever heard for a band in the state of montana. i guess they liked the dark star

As soon as I heard the trippin' Bertha I e-mailed a link to this show out.
Me & My Uncle , loser , B.T.W. -all yummy!
This is absolutely incredible the separation I am getting in my headphones.
How did the Earth not go backward on it's axis when the Dead toured with the WALL OF SOUND.
I am just flabbergasted I have sound coming at me from all directions.
I am at Scarlet and I almost feel like Jerry is singing over here and playing over there and here comes Donna, (Wow, fortunate man Keith)
And Keith is like sliding notes from here and there. I cant wait until Phil gets ripping into something good.
Meanwhile Jerry is soloing in Scarlet and the band is sort of circling weaving in and out.
A Garcia double shot with 'The ROSES' listen to those backing vocals.
I can hear Jerry thinking the lyrics in his mind.
Jack Straw, Tenn Jed, Mexicali-Bobby!!! Phil singing backing vocals! Listen to Jerry play.
A minor technical difficulty-NOTHIN 'DEAL'
WON'T FIX..."It would burn off both your ears"
Big River-FLOOD YOU BIG RIVER!
Brown Eyed Women-One of the first Dead tunes I just absolutely lost my mind over.
Catch the backing vocals to Jerry's strong lead.
Phil can sing. His vocals are so key to the sound.
I feel stupid even having to say that at this late date. But his baritone is key here.
"Sound of the thunder with the rain pouring down"
Playin' In The Band-It never ceases to amaze me the Band would give you this huge first set and throw in a twenty minute 'Playin' to boot.
I love hearing Bobby count off the jump.
And here is what I was looking for the Phil zone.
Neat thing about Playin it sounds like phil is heading one way and Jerry is going another.
Donna is great! You don't like her getting down, you ain't got nothing to offer. (Diplomatic as I can be to those still wet behind the ears)
6 minutes in:
I hear Phil
I certainly hear Jerry
I am pretty sure I hear Bobby in Jerry's orbit
Bill the Drummer sounds like a marching band.
Trying to get a fix on Keith,
think he is playing the organ at this point.
This sounds like the origins of the jam in Shakedown at certain points.
At 18 minutes after some heavy jamming they come back for the Playin reprise.
I LOVE THIS BAND!

Set 2

U.S. Blues, El Paso, Row Jimmy, Weather Report Suite Prelude-> Weather Report Suite Part 1-> Let It Grow-> Dark Star-> China Doll, Promised Land, Not Fade Away-> Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad-> One More Saturday Night

I would be hard pressed to put together a better fantasy second set.
I consider the tune selection and execution from U.S. blues right thru to China Doll to be TOPS!!!
(Everything after China Doll you can chalk up as encore material just like Dane - 73)
How long is winter in Montana?- long enough for a Grateful Dead concert to be 'all summer in a day'.

Nothing to dislike. An all time classic show from an all-time classic era.
DP9 in the ears and I'm trying to figure out how some can even come close to pick this apart?

Quality DEAD all over. BIG SKY DEAD.... as it were (USBlues)

Bertha, this may be the first official release that I’ve heard starting with such sound/balance issues, though fixed by the end of the song. You can’t fix things forever recorded incorrectly (see Winterland Oct 74 run!). The song is mediocre.
MAMU gets the juices mixing, probably pleased the locals too.
Loser
BTW sounds great, nice tempo, strong Phil work, and Jerry is subtle behind Bob’s singing.
Scarlet>IMHBTR, Scarlet comes out with a great tempo and strong guitar. Keith has assumed the organ. Despite the strong tempo, there’s no rush when they hit the jam segment, Jerry bides his time and jumps in at the right moment. The ensuing jam reaches places that would be common in the later years of the jam, then breaks down nicely into It Must Have Been the Roses. This is the type of segue that brought me to the GD (specifically, the 77 Barton Hall S>F). I never know if it is planned or not, but either way the musicianship in astounding. I’ve grown quite found of Roses in the past year or so, though I wish Keith would have remained on the organ rather than going back to the piano.
Jack Straw
TN Jed is about average for the period, which means enjoyable.
Mexicali
Deal
Big River is usually a good gauge on the energy of a set in this period, or it adds needed energy. This one seems mediocre, though it does bring a little more energy before the final two songs of the set.
BEW starts off slowly, but gathers steam nicely.
PITB, the jam starts off slow with Garcia going to a watery tone. Billy is all over the cymbals, Bob providing steady rhythm, but Garcia, uncommonly, doesn’t seem to be there. Before the 8 minute mark Garcia remembers he’s the star of the show and starts making it count, which excites Bobby into more creative rhythm work, as things get weird. Around 11 minutes the jam goes into spacier territory, only to return to a more exploratory theme based jam a minute and a half later, which I appreciate because it is more intriguing. Around 14 minutes in we appear to be headed to the jungle for a Tiger strike. No dice on the Tiger, but it is a nice jam that brings us an energetic return to the theme for the reprise.

The encore slotted US Blues takes a set opening role, which is a nice start.
El Paso is fun as usual, keeps things moving along nicely, another locals pleasure I’m sure.
Row Jimmy, typically not a favorite of mine, is pretty good. Poignant playing by Garcia and good support from Phil before the meat sequence is key.
WRS>LIG>DS>China Doll
A nice line up for the meat sequence, though this probably wanted to make beer swilling college kids in MT run for the exits. Prelude and part 1 are excellent, with a somewhat sloppy but still entertaining LIG. The segue into Dark Star was easy work for them. The journey is a slow one. After some mediocre exploratory jamming they return to the theme around 11 minutes in. After the verse it isn’t long before it goes into space, the locals now drooling with their boredom. Deadheads who enjoy spaciness will enjoy it, it doesn’t scatter into deep space (few notes), but instead maintains a steady sound. At the 19 minute mark Jerry again flirts with Tiger territory and he fucking unleashes the hell out of it. Locals now going through anaphylactic shock. Feedback during the short tiger takes away from it a bit. A nice jazzy jam, probably the highlight of the sequence, brings us to the song’s conclusion as they segued smoothly into China Doll. For a band that is so consistently considered to have incredible interaction with their audience, it’s odd they didn’t take a more apt approach to the meat sequence.
Promised Land, and the audience rejoices!
NFA>GDTRFB
A great NFA, which the crowd earned after the meat sequence. Nice energy, which Bobby accenting Jerry’s solos well. This is actually the most sustained energy of the show. The fireworks continue in GDTRFB as the fans got their dance party!
OMSN
___________________________________________________________

Performance Summary
The first set is decent but lacks consistent energy. The Scarlet>IMHBTR is the highlight, with the PITB being typical of the period. Donna-haters beware, she’s extra vocal this evening. The second set is more consistent, though the first half of Dark Star is less than thrilling. The best part of the show is probably the NFA>GDTRFB, where the patient audience was rewarded with a dance party performance brimming with juice.

Sound Quality
A+ for the official release.

Do you people have nothing better to do than pick apart,and examine every note that comes off the stage? Can't you just sit back and dig the music? Trust me i get what most of you say,it is just like the people who hassle me because i cannot listen to anything with vince welnick. But some of you break it down which speaker does garcia have his smokes on? Or when phil was drinking how many heinekens would he go thru? Or when keith was nodding and leaned to far and fell off his bench? Dig the music and let it go. It seems like a contest to see who can Out Grateful Dead the next person. Does it really make a difference? I have seen more shows than a lotta people but that does not make me anymore Grateful Dead than the next guy it only makes me more fortunate than most. Relax and dig the music and don't worry about nit-picking every damn thing that goes on. On what level does it really make a difference.

Sound 10+ Show 10+ Might be hard to find a better show anywhere. This on set's the bar high. As good but better no. This show is what the Dead were all about. Gets in to my top 5 that's for sure.

I think this is a great, spacey Dark Star despite the lack of a Tighten Up, Phillo Stomp, MLB jam, or whatever. The jam caresses you like a lover, then stings you like a viper in the meltdown section. Sends you to dreamland, then jars you awake in the best way. Ending of Playin' is a bit rough; other than that it's a great listen. WRS is starting to get a bit out there, though not nearly as much as it would later that year (6/18). How about Jerry's sound in China Doll; is that a kazoo doubling his solo? Sound is good though maybe slightly high in pitch.

Oh by the way, ignore beedup saying people who didn't attend the shows have no right to review them. I was all of 7 years old; how was I going to attend any show in 1974? Great that you got to see 180 shows in 25 years; it's still just you're perspective; don't be an a--hole towards others expressing theirs.

is that Bobby doing a ridiculous falsetto on roses?the quality of the aud is just as important as the performance for review, because we are presented with such a wide range of options thanks to the arc. Mr Miller's stuff is almost always good. good era 74, some weirdness in some songs,i like others better but this is still great.

It seems Wall of Sound recordings often picked up way too much cymbals. That very annoying feature is absent from this one, thankfully!

Cool take on Begonias.

Then there's Must Have Been the Roses--Donna's voice sounds weird as all heck. I don't mean she's singing poorly--I mean she almost sounds like a different person. Anyone know why? A mic problem??

fairly new to the dead world, been coming to this site since 2010, was using real player to download sbd shows, but as of late it's not letting it happen, anyone that can help me out would be grately appreciated. As For the show, grate versions of many songs. Over the past few years, I've mostly listen to '82-'92, that's what I was turned on to. So hearing the material from the 70's is awesome, gives the music a whole new outlook

I love Archive and read the reviews when I'm there. Just gotta say; 1) to state this version or that version is the best ever is idiotic and exhibits a very limited frame of reference, 2) A good, or bad for that matter, tape has NOTHING TO DO WITH HOW GOOD THE SHOW WAS. May I just say, IMO, that if you're making statements like this it tells me you haven't seen many shows, your credibility is sorely lacking and you don't understand the essence of The Grateful Dead. Just one guys opinion (180 shows over 25 year span). Thanks for letting me share.

You've probably picked up on the announcement that the first release of next year's Dave's Picks is going to be the 14th May 1974 (Tuesday) show from Adams Field House, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana.

I've had the show in medium bit-rate mp3 format from the Internet Archive for a long while (I've downloaded all '74 shows being as they're in 'the peak years') but hadn't paid it too much attention. A FLAC version was 'bumped' to the top of the Lossless Legs list recently, following the announcement that it was going to be the next Dave's Picks, so I grabbed a copy. I saved the FLAC to 'ye olde' external hard-drives and loaded an mp3 version @ 320 kbps onto my mp3 player with a view to giving it a thorough going over.

After a few listens I have concluded that, although it is only a 'so so' show, the 'mix', recording, whatever is amazing. I am sure that Jeffrey Norman will work wonders when upgrading it to HDCD but most of the building blocks are already in place. If you ask me, the Charlie Miller version is already (almost) commercial release quality. Mr Norman is going to have his work cut out. I say "almost" because there is at least one flaw in the version on the Archive and Lossless Legs i.e. the tape-flip during "China Doll' although Charlie Miller has 'repaired' it with an almost unnoticeable cross-fade. You can only tell because there are a couple of missing lines where the lyrics don't quite match, though the music doesn't skip a beat. No doubt the 'Deadnet' people will either have a complete soundboard from the vault or will patch it from another performance which they have developed a nasty habit of doing recently.

I say 'so so' show because the "Dark Star" is a bit directionless and lacks a focal point like a 'Mind Left Body', 'Feeling Groovy' or 'Tighten Up' jam. That said, there are more or less perfect renditions of all the remaining songs.

One thing also appeals to me: the way they come in 'piecemeal' during "Bertha". It starts with just the drums and piano and Jerry's vocals, then the rhythm guitar and bass are piped in, finally followed by Jerry's lead guitar - i.e. the 'Wall of Sound' as it was, warts and all.

"The Promised Land" is attached as a sample (small enough to be E-mailed 'ordinary'). I'll see if I can send "Bertha" via Sky-Drive if I can manage it before I fall asleep.

Well those are my thoughts - feel free to shoot me down.

Hua Hin Wharf Rat
(AKA Tidewater 4-10-0-9)

This was my first Dead show and I remember my friends and I kicking back and taking in the incredible vibe the boys put down. All there was left to do was Smile, Smile, Smile. Snuck in to the venue earlier to watch the Wall being constructed to hear a fellow remark that Jerry had just been out to noodle around with the sound.
Had this on cassette but the SBD is sending me back all these years later. Thanks to Charlie, props to tapers and thanks to the Dead for letting their tunes flow so freely.

you mean you haven't got this show and you need to stream ?

thanks for posting :))

another quality recording, have almost 800gb of live dead, and still come to the archive for shows like this

There is nothing to dislike about this show just rips from the get go. I have only givin 5 stars to shows like this.

It bears repeating. Wow.

Reviewer: jerdan45 - - May 15, 2012
Subject: i wish someone would show me how to download this show o
or any other stream the quality is so far superior
pretty good stuff, huh?. send me an email at srfx3@hotmail.com i have a suggestion for you

or any other stream the quality is so far superior

Great job with the mix as always Charlie. Outstanding recording, great show, great playing. 5 stars all around

If I could give this one 10 stars, I would! A perfect performance beautifully captured and remastered (I found the drums to be particularly crisp). Truly one those shows where picking through the setlist seems almost pointless, not even Donna's caterwauling on Playin' could bring me down on this one!

Excellently played, tight performance and the recording is relatively warm for a '74 soundboard. I can't help but wonder what an AUD of this show would be like! Not as insanely, crazily good as some other '74 shows I've heard, but super high quality nonetheless. Keith G in particular sounds great on the ivories, both grand and electric, and the jam in Dark Star gets super funky.

Is this the sort of magic that made Missoula such an incredible place?

But forgot to review. This is really pretty much what you got in 1974 if you were attending shows. The first songs are weak because the band is trying to dial in their mix on stage.

Wall of Sound is totally intact re: recording excellence in second set. You could hear every whisper and nuance.

Have had numerous discussions with John Meyer about the GD's sound systems -- especially the modern ones he's designed for the various offshoot bands. He maintains a perfectly appreciable stance that the band(s) sound better under the aegis of his systems and I would generally heartily concur, consistency wise, but to this old fart nothing compares, in person, nor on tape, to the WOS.

Thank you once again, Owsley Miller.

I had the gd74-05-14.sbd.murphy.1823.sbeok.shnf version - already pretty good - but this is even better. A nice upgrade. Thanks!

The audience got there monies worth during this show. Amazing show, tight playing.....Thanks Charlie

the Magnificent Mr. Miller DOES NOT disappoint!
thanks for another stellar gem my friend.
not a high energy show but its played almost without flaw. Donna Jean is sprinkled in like expensive saffron and actually adds to the flavor rather than detracting. all the instruments can be heard well, studio quality, it could all be released commercially.
there is no point in me telling you I deem this song to the top 10 played that year tour, year or decade, no point in ranking it or comparing to anything else, its subjective.
i will say its a must have show for your collection
5* for sound quality
5* for the performance
5* all around...wishin i was there